St.Philips Church (Tortola)

Following the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 the British Navy liberated Africans from slaving vessels sailing in British waters.Some were brought to Tortola and provided with land plots that were sponsored by the British Government in 1831.They joined the Kingstown community of freed Africans which grew to almost 300 within the first year and St.Philips Anglican Church and School was constructed to serve some of their needs.Nothing remains of the many homes that were originally built at Kingstown and the hurricane of 1916 destroyed the Masters House and caused severe damaged to the Church itself.The Church walls,the Altar and Graveyard still make for an interesting visit though. The red bricks that show through the plaster are a clear reminder of the plantation era they were brought as ballast in the holds of the ships that carried the sugar and other produce from the islands back to England.

Directions / How to find Us

Head east from Road Town along the coast road. The church is in Kingstown , opposite Cedar School just off the left hand side of the road.